whom the world is infinitely obliged for the most valuable inftruction conveyed in the most beautiful drefs, we fhall close his article with the judgment of several eminent "and left behind him fine models of a terfe and "chafte diction; his defect, if he has any, feems to "be, that he lies too much in courte fentences, "that do not run cleverly into one another, and are "not fo connected, as to depend naturally enough "together: the chain is fometimes wanting, and the "full ftop or clofe of the period returns too frequently upon us; which is the vice also of the "French writers; or it is at least the opinion of "the best critics of their nation, that their language "has fuffered in this particular, under its modern "refinements, and that their ancient writers had, 66 not only more of the vigorous and mafculine, but "were also freer and more difengaged. The English "author I am speaking of, as he followed, or feem"ed to follow very clofely in the traces of Fonte"nelle, and has ftudied much his manner, fo did "he fucceed extremely well in it; however he is not without his master's alloy; and there is befides, "if I may be allowed to speak my impartial fenfe of "the matter, fomething in his way, that I may call too imitable; that is, one eafily fees thro' his art; one finds out the fecret clue, by which he con"ducts himself." One obfervation we fhall make on the profe of Mr. Welfted (who has obliged the town with fome beautiful Poems, and among the rest with a copy of verfes on which Sir Richard Steele bestows the epithet very fine) is, that it often feems to run into the contrary extreme of that for which he accufes Mr. Addifon. Such of the French, indeed, as imitate Fontenelle, are too fhort in their periods, and have fometimes three or four in the compass of fo many lines. But a medium fhould be obferved, K 66 and eminent writers upon him [HH], and an extract and it is well known that, when a period is fpun to too immoderate a length, it grows heavy and tedious. With regard to Mr. Welited's observation, that Mr. Addifon has imitated Mr. Fontenelle's manner, one effential difference may be obferved in it, viz. that the latter great writer is often fo delicate that he is obfcure, whereas the former is always plain and clear. [HH] The judgment of feveral eminent writers upon him] Mr. Pope, in his verses occafioned by Mr. AdDISON'S Treatife of Medals, pays a very elegant compliment to him in the following lines; Oh when fhall BRITAIN confcious of her claim, Then future ages with delight shall fee, Dr. Fiddes having quoted the following words from the Spectator; Every one that has read the critics, who have written upon the Odyffey, the Iliad, and the Eneid, knows very well, that tho' they agree in their opinion concerning the great beauties in thefe Poems, they have nevertheless each of them difcovered jeveral mafter strokes, which have efeaped the observation of the rest; tells us, that "the ingenious author had a right to apply this remark to himself. It is ac"knowledged Mr. Addison has difcovered a multitude of beauties in Milton's Paradife loft. Several of which might perhaps have been undiscover "ed extract from fome of the Poems, which were "ed for many ages (82)." But in another place the Doctor cenfures Mr. Addifon, for afcribing to himself an obfervation which was far from being new (83). Mr, de VOLTAIRE, in his Effay upon the EPIC-POETRY of the European Nations, tells us (84), that "Mr. Addifon was the firit, who confider ed in a proper view the materials, which compos'd "the ftructure of the Æneid ;" and having remark'd, that he borrowed from Lucan's Pharfalia fome ftrokes in the drawing of his Cato, he obferves (85), that "this ancient Poet never received a greater honour "than when he was imitated by Mr. de Corneille "and by Mr. Addifon, two men every where fupe"rior to him." He tells us in another place (86), that one would be apt to think, that Milton had not obtained his true reputation, till Mr. Addifon, "the best critic, as well as the beft writer of his age, "pointed out the moft. hidden beauties of the Para 66 dife loft, and fettled for ever its reputation." Signior Paul Rolli, in his Remarks upon Mr. Voltaire's Efay abovementioned, having undertaken to vindicate Milton from the exceptions of that ingenious writer, defires his reader (87) to look over thofe Spectators, which the celebrated Mr. Addifon has writ upon Milton's Paradife loft; for he will then, fays he, recollect ibafe right notions, which that Efay may perhaps have lulled afleep. There he will fee Homer in bis true light, and the different impreffions fome parts of the Paradife loft have made in the minds of Mr. Addifon and Mr. Voltaire. He tells us afterwards (88), that there is a degree of perfection and tafte, "which when authors and critics are arrived at, 66 (82) See Dr. Fiddes, Prefatory Epifle concerning fome remarks upon Homer, to Dr. Swift, p. 12, 13. (84) P. 53. edit. 1727. (87) P. 3. (88) P. 12. (85) Pag. 65. K 2 (83) idem, p. 97. (86) Pag. 108. "make were written on occafion of his death [II]. Befides the works abovementioned, we have "make them all of one nation, called The Common"wealth of Letters. Amelot, la Bruyere, the Archbishop of Cambray, &c. Addifon, the Authors of "the Spectators and Tatlers, &c. Bembo, Caftiglione, "della Cafa, &c. might, by their ftyles, .pafs for countrymen; they think in the fame degree of "perfection, and their ftyles keep equal pace with "their thoughts. ... When I read Addison's works, "I imagine I read Plato; a clear, eafy, and Gen tleman like way of thinking and writing appears "alike in both." The Abbé Da Bos having quoted a paffage from the Spectator, ftyles Mr. ADDISON one of the greatest Tragic-Poets of ENGLAND (89); and in another place, one of the most eminent English Poets (90). He makes very frequent ufe of Mr. Addifon's authority in his work, Sur la Poëfie & la Peinture. [II] Written on the occafion of his Death.] The moit confiderable of these is that by Mr. Tickell, addreffed to the Earl of Warwick; which Sir Richard Steele indeed calls Profe in Rhime (91), but with what justice the reader will eafily judge from a few lines of it. He begins with an apology for not paying his tribute to Mr. Addison's memory fooner viz. because intenfe forrow damps the poetical faculty. He then defcribes the folemnity of his funeral in very strong and moving images; and declares that Mr. Addifon's memory will always be prefent to his mind, and that it fhall be his task to honour it with all the regard due to fo great a man, after which he proceeds as follows: (89) Reflexions Critiques fur la Poëfe & fur la Peinture, tom. 1. Sect. 42. p. 340. edit. d'Utrecht, 1732. (90) Ibid. Vol. II. Sect. 39. p. 503 (91) Sec is dedication of the 2d edit. of the Drummer, p. 17. Oft have feveral other pieces of his, particu larly, An Epilogue to the British Enchanters, a dramatic Poem written by the Lord Lanfdown. Oft let me range the gloomy ifles alone, He then images to himself what the employment of fo great a foul must be in his fuperior fituation in the other world; and invokes his affiftance in all the dan gerous or distressful circumstances of life. Next fol-. low these beautiful lines: That awful form (which, fo ye heavens decree Th' unblemish'd Statesman seems to strike my fight; If in the ftage I feek to footh my care, I meet his foul, which breathes in Cato there ; His hape o'ertakes me in the lonely grove: There |